The S tate Hornet September 2, 2009 HORNET INSIDE HORNET FOOTBALL
Football season starts this weekend at UNLV. See our preview of the team and their expectations for a winning season.
Sports B5 WHY BUY? RENT YOUR BOOKS
C alifornia S tate U niversity, S acramento
E st . 1949
Gonzalez talks options “Let me begin with the most obvious issue on everyone’s mind: the budget. I wish I could say that the outcome was positive, but all of us know it was not ... The California State University’s share of the State General Fund has hovered at 3 percent over the past decade. It is now at 1.8 percent. I think we all agree that from a public policy standpoint, cuts like that jeopardize the future of our state... I have to say that given the size of the cuts at the system level, as a campus we are in relatively better position this year because we managed our budget and enrollment well and managed to close our past budget gap ... None of this would have been possible without great work and cooperation by UBAC, our Budget Office and every division on campus... However, when I say we are in relatively better shape, I don’t want to paint too rosy a picture. The CSU Trustees were forced increase student fees twice this year. And at this point, the next academic year, 2010-11, is shaping up to be even worse ... The federal stimulus money that was available to the CSU this year will not be there next year... I’m confident that you will join with me in meeting the exigencies that we will face as a result of this terrible budget ... Keep in mind that we will come out of this down cycle and when we do, we will be prepared and ready to move forward...
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Features B1 HORNET EDITORIAL
The State Hornet fee increase was passed by President Gonzalez despite it being voted down by the student body. Read our promise to you, the students.
Opinion A8 TALKIN’ BUDGET CRISIS
Tim Hodson, director of the Center for California Studies sat down for a State Hornet Q&A on the state’s economic crisis.
News A5 HORNET ONLINE
There are many things happening at Sacramento State that we can feel good about. I’m pleased to announce that University Advancement met its fundraising goal for last year by raising nearly $17 million. The Annual Fund did well by providing much-needed nonstate resources to our colleges, but the majority of the resources raised will have a direct impact on students since it is for student scholarships... As we begin our work we need to continue to focus on the three principles that I introduced last year. It is my hope that they will become the basis for all we do at Sac State. They are: Positive Communication, Collaboration, Transparency... Yes, we have some challenges ahead of us, but I think we also have the energy and commitment to face them together... I would like to close by reminding you what an important institution this is, and how vital your work is to its mission. More than 28,000 students come here to pursue a higher education, to improve their lives, and to achieve their dreams...
The State Hornet Issue 1 | Volume 64| No. 1
By Kristine Guerra kguerra@statehornet.com Sacramento State President Alexander Gonzalez discussed issues such as the budget and Sac State’s achievements in past months, in his annual fall address Thursday. Gonzalez said the university is in a relatively better position then before, but also recognized the challenges to overcome. “However, when I say we are in relatively better shape, I don’t want to paint too rosy a picture… I don’t have to say that these are trying economic times,” Gonzalez said. “While difficult, we will meet our goals and still provide the best educational experience we can for our students.” Other than the budget crisis, Gonzalez’s 30-minute address dwelt mainly on what has been achieved over the past several months. Cecil Canton, professor of criminal justice and associate vice president for the California Faculty Association, said the president should have focused more on the real issues. “I think it’s wonderful to be upbeat, but there are real attacks on higher education in the nation and in the state,” Canton said. “There are fewer professors working at Sac State, and students are paying more for fewer services.” Members of the CFA wore black armbands to the address. “The black represents the demise of public education,” said Kevin Wehr, sociology professor and director of CFA’s Sac State chapter. “This is the see Address | page A10
Let us all commit to building a better future for Sacramento State, for our city, and for our region Nallelie Vega State Hornet
President Gonzalez Thursday at his Fall address where he discussed creating more campus transparency and unity
See the video of the Fall Address at www.statehornet.com
Student fees up by 32 percent By Cayla Gales cgayles@statehornet.com
Last May, the California State University Board of Trustees voted to increase the CSU fee by 10 percent. Then on July 21, the board voted to raise the new fee by another 20 percent, making a total of a 32 percent fee increase for all the schools in the CSU system from the previous year. The trustees voted 17-1 to increase fees in order to deal with the $584 million state budget cut to the CSU system.
Increasing fees was not the only part of the solution. The plan also included furloughs, reduction of enrollment by 40,000 students over the next two years and the closing of spring 2010
See the Student Reaction video at www.statehornet. com
admissions. Even after taking all of these steps to offset the deficit, the CSU system still needs to cut $183 million from its budget. John Kepley, special assistant to the president at Sacramento State, said “nobody likes raising student fees.” But in order for the CSU system to continue providing services, the trustees “had to look at all options” and there was no single solution to this see CSU Fees | page A6
MEMORIAL | LILA JACOBS, CFA CHAPTER PRESIDENT AND PROFESSOR OF EDUCATION
CFA, Sac State honors Jacobs By Miyu Kataoka mkataoka@statehornet.com
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O ne C opy F ree
She was not a hippie, but she loved peace, and she made sure to stand up for it. Activism for justice and fairness were a part of both the personal and professional life of Lila Jacobs, professor of educational leadership and president of the Sacramento State chapter of the California Faculty Association. Jacobs, who died of cancer on June 27, had been teaching at
Sac State since 1990. “She really was a tireless worker and you could always count on her to get things done and make sure that everything was followed through on,” said Kevin Wehr, professor of sociology and CFA chapter president who served under Jacobs. “She was dedicated to her students and making a difference through her students and through her community.” Jacobs founded the Urban see Jacobs | page A6
Lila Jacobs
Megan Harris State Hornet
Spring vote overruled By Blazej Bruzda bbruzda@statehornet.com Over the summer, Sacramento State President Alexander Gonzalez implemented two of three ballot measures voted down by students in the spring election. One measure applied to Sac State’s athletics program and the other involved The State Hornet, the university’s student-run newspaper. Gonzalez overruled the Associated Students, Inc.’s fee increase proposals Measure One, for Intercollegiate Athletics and Measure Five, for the Hor-
net, despite 14 percent of the student population’s decision to vote them down in April’s ASI elections. Regardless of April’s negative vote outcome for the Hornet and Intercollegiate Athletics fee increases, Gonzalez approved measures five and one, and said the decision was made based on two reasons. The last fee increase that went toward Intercollegiate Athletics was in 1995. Scholarships for student-athletes, picked at the discretion of the coach for varisee ASI Fees | page A7
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Wednesday - September 2
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NEWS ROUNDUP Sac State’s weekly news briefs and campus events Lawsuit filed against Sac State, retired professor
through Thursday, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, and is closed on the weekends.
A lawsuit was filed on Aug. 8 against Sacramento State and a retired engineering professor in Sacramento County Superior Court. Cici Mattiuzzi, a career services director who works in the engineering department, alleges that professor Miroslav Markovic has been harassing students and staff for more than 15 years. The suit also alleges Markovic interfered with graduates getting jobs by contacting employers and behaving inappropriately. Mattiuzzi also claims she wasn’t given promotions because complained often about Markovic. The lawsuit includes the university for not doing enough in regard to Markovic’s behavior. The university allegedly did take action against Markovic in the past but allowed him to return after he was placed on leave. Markovic had been scheduled to teach this semester but said he was retiring due to budget cuts and furloughs. The lawsuit contains more than 150 pages of letters and emails from students, staff members and employers about Markovic’s behavior. The State Hornet will have an in-depth report on the lawsuit next week.
Free bikes for students
Jamba Juice opens in Union The Jamba Juice opened for business on Aug. 25 on the first floor in the University Union. It accompanies the space of the old STA Travel office that closed before the spring semester. It offers 17 different drinks ranging from fruit smoothies to chocolate blends, flavored oatmeal cups and four hot flatbreads.Jamba Juice is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday
Mitchell Wilson State Hornet
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The copy center at the River Front Center started the semester by now offering UPS shipping. There are seven different sized boxes available to choose from. An Express envelope and Pad Pack are also available. There are no mailboxes available for students but they can receive shipments at the counter. The amount of time a package will be held has yet to be determined. The copy center is open from 7:45 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, and is closed on the weekends.
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About 40 students living in the Upper Eastside Lofts (UEL) received free bicycles to promote clean and alternative transportation. In order to be eligible, students have to be residents of the Lofts and agree not to park a car on campus or in the UEL parking lot. Up to 75 students will be able to sign up for a free bicycle and be given a $20 voucher good for bike accessories at Peak Adventures. The Power Inn Alliance, a transportation advocacy group, acquired a grant to pay for the bikes. See the full story at statehornet.com.
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Sac State puts stimulus funds to use By Brittany Bottini bbottini@statehornet.com Sacramento State recently received more than $5 million in grants from the 2009 stimulus package, including awards from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and other awards from the U.S. Department of Education. And eight to 10 grant proposals that may include stimulus funds are still pending. Sac State received $18 million in funding from all sponsored grant and contract awards for the 2008-09 school year. David Earwicker, assistant vice president of research administration and contract administration at Sac State, spoke about receiving these grants and how they play a very important role in the function of the university as a whole. “These grants allow the university and faculty to expand research capabilities,” he said. “Grants for research and program building enhance the learning and growth opportunities for both faculty and students of today and tomorrow.” The Recovery Act awarded six
grants to Sac State for the 200910 school year. Sac State chemistry professor Brad Baker was awarded the $260,000 grant by the National Science Foundation. The grant will be used to fund a twoyear study he is conducting on reactive chemical emissions in the atmosphere. The funds will purchase instruments that are used to monitor these emissions. It will also be used to support chemistry students who are working on the project. “Students working in my laboratory over the next couple of years will benefit by gaining research experience that is highly valued by employers in industry and by graduate schools,” Baker said. Katherine McReynolds, another chemistry professor who received funding, was given two awards totaling in $670,000 for research and lab instruments. The first grant McReynolds received was awarded through the National Institute of Health to assist with summer research for two undergraduate students and one high school student. “Providing funding for student research allows these
students to focus on their chemistry-related work, rather than having to find any other job to help them pay rent and make ends meet,” McReynolds said. The grant will provide the students with paid full-time work during each summer for two years. McReynolds was also provided with a second grant through the NSF funds for a second nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer, an instrument similar to an MRI used by doctors. The spectrometer is widely used in pharmaceutical and biotech industries. With the number of undergraduate and graduate students increasing in the chemistry department, instruments are not readily available to students. Having the second spectrometer allows more students the opportunity to do hands-on work. “Our students need hands-on experience in order to be successful in their future careers,” McReynolds said. “Having an original research experience teaches students how to think independently and how to
problem solve, two of the most important critical thinking skills one can have.” Juanita Barrena, professor of biological sciences, was awarded $60,087 by the National Institutes of Health for the Supplement to Sacramento College Coalition for Future Scientists. Jennifer Lundmark, a biological sciences professor, and Deidre Sessoms, teacher education professor, were awarded $75,000 for one year’s efforts for their Learning to Teach curriculum. The one-year, $210,000 award granted to Alicia Tom of the College of Continuing Education was to help with occupational skills training for people who are unemployed. Tonni Ramirez of the College of Continuing Education said the award money will be funding student enrollment in the eight-week Sustainable Facilities Management certificate program through the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency, which costs $4,000 per student. Ramirez said, “The grants have allowed us to develop and deliver training for unemployed people in a
Nallelie Vega State Hornet
Katherine McReynolds, professor, with one of the instruments she bought using the grant money. The machine will help students get a better hands on experience. much needed industry in green sustainable building.” Other programs such as the College Assistance Migrant Program and High School Equivalency Program, HEP, have received stimulus funding through the U.S. Department of Education Office of Migrant Education. CAMP, a program that helps students from migrant and sea-
sonal farm worker backgrounds transition from high school to college and succeed at Sac State, was allotted $2.11 million for a five-year cycle. The Sac State CAMP was created in 1981 and is one of the largest and is one of the longest running programs in the nation. HEP also assists migrant farm see Stimulus| page A7
CSU system furloughs all employees By Blazej Bruzda bbruzda@statehornet.com Sacramento State is implementing all 2,956 of its administration, faculty and staff to take 18 to 24 days off without pay before June 30. The California State University system is requiring all 23 campuses to take part in the furlough program and is using the program to offset costs of the deficit. The furlough program was put into effect Aug. 7. The program will save Sac State approximately $16 million, all of which will be deducted from administration, faculty and staff salaries. “The California State University system is facing cuts in state
funding and the state budget ratified by the Legislature would create a deficit of about $564 million for the current fiscal year,” said Paul Mann, spokesperson at Humboldt State. The furlough program is expected to run the entire academic year, and there will be a total of 24 furlough days for administration, faculty and staff and that instruct 12 months during an academic year, 20 days for 10-month faculty and 18 days for faculty that teach throughout the academic year. Faculty designated days, according to the Sacramento State Campus Furlough Implementation Plan Overview, are not all scheduled for instructional days, therefore minimizing the
impact on students. Students who are affected by the program will receive alternative instructions from their instructors. All faculty members are furloughed on Oct. 16, Dec. 23, Feb. 15 and April 2 for 12- and 10-month faculty. Staff furlough days are Sept. 18, Oct. 16, Nov. 27, Dec. 21-24, Jan. 8 and 15, Feb. 15, April 2, May 28, June 11 and 25. These furlough days have been set by President Alexander Gonzalez in correlation the Chancellor’s Office. According to the furlough implementation plan overview, unless ordered by Gonzalez, a furlough day does not indicate a closed campus. On most furlough days the campus will be
open with limited services such as summer classes, year-round operations, conferences scheduled and essential services. The colleges at Sac State are working with the faculty to try to distribute those furlough days so they do not all interfere with the classes and they are spread over the faculty members workload, said John Oldenburg, associate dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “Some classes will wind up being not held and alternative assignments will be provided,” Oldenburg said. Different schools will save different amounts of money, “for example Humboldt State predicts a $6 million saving,”
Mann said. Some employees, however, are exempt from the furlough program. These include employees who are essential for campus to run safely on a daily basis. Those affected by the furlough program are expected to see a cut in their earnings of about 10.07 percent for staff and managers and 9.23 percent for academic year faculty, Wagner said. In order to help CSU employees estimate the full impact of furloughs and what to brace for as far as budgeting, an online salary calculator has been developed to help faculty and staff. The link to the calculator is: www.sco.ca.gov/ ppsd_se_paycheck_calc.html. Facilities Services at Sac State
is also furloughed. In order to make up for the missed days, said Associate Vice President of Facility Services Ron Richardson, Facilities will focus on the main public areas such as classrooms, hallways and anywhere large numbers of people spend their time. Everyone in Facilities is furloughed except those needed in case of an emergency. Richardson assures there is no need to worry about safety and emergencies because if one does occur during a furlough the facilities will act just like on any other day off from school.
any closer & you’d be sleeping in class
great location to campus | resor t-style amenities uvsacramento.com 916.383.9591 7767 LA RIVIERA DR
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ANALYSIS |STATE HORNET Q&A: TIM HODSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR CALIFORNIA STUDIES
Hodson offers insight into budget The State Hornet sat down with Tim Hodson, executive director of the Center for California Studies at Sacramento State, to discuss the state’s budget crisis and some solutions to the problems our state is facing. Hodson received his doctorate in political science from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He worked as a staffer in the California State Senate for many years. While there, he was key in passing legislative ethics measures and the 1991 Senate redistricting. Hodson is the co-director of the annual Legislative Staff Management Institute. He is the author of a number of articles on California government and politics and is regularly quoted on these issues in the national and international press, including the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and the London Times. State Hornet: How bad is California’s budget crisis in a historical context? Tim Hodson: In a historical and national context, it’s very bad but it’s not the worst. In fact, there are three other states right now that have worse budget problems, including Nevada, Arizona and New York, which is interesting because that’s not talked about in California. As a percentage of the general fund we had a worse deficit in the early ‘90s. Having said that, we are
Listen to the full Tim Hodson interview at statehornet.com
having very serious problems today for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, the entire country is in economic distress. For a variety of reasons, California is probably going to recover slower than many other states. But we also, in terms of California, we are reaping the results of 30 years of bad policies, going back to 1978 and the enactment of Proposition 13. So we are in a very tough situation. It’s not hopeless, but it’s a tough situation.
signed Grover Norquist’s “No New Taxes” pledge. When we’re facing this big of a budget deficit is it realistic or feasible to go with the cuts-only approach to get us out of this problem?
Hodson: It is a new phenomenon, but again put it in the context - it’s not unique to California. If you don’t have partisan gridlock in the United States Congress, what the hell do you have? It is worse now than it used to be. When I first went to work for the Legislature in 1978 there were moderate Republicans and moderate Democrats. What’s happened in California and nationally, and this is particularly true - and I am not trying to be partisan - the studies have shown clearly that the Republican Party is more homogeneous in its ideology. It is more conservative, and Republican members tend to be grouped around a particular ideology without as much ideological diversity as the Democrats. The Democrats have moved to the left a bit, but the Democratic Party still has moderate to conservative Democrats. So it is much more difficult to try to come together with compromises when there is such an ideological gulf.
Hodson: Well, interesting, is it feasible? We have a constitutional structure that requires a two-thirds vote to increase taxes, a two-thirds vote to pass a budget. As the framers pointed out in “The Federalist Papers” anytime you have a super majority requirement you are in essence empowering the minority and giving them more power than the majority. And that is exactly what has happened for several years in California. Budgets are passed to buy off, appease and satisfy the Republican caucus even though they’re the minority. As a result, there are Democrats who feel they haven’t had a Democratic budget in years. The February budget included new taxes. I think it’s very telling that the Senate Republican leader was literally removed from his position in a midnight coup. That shows the Republican caucus is fairly firm in saying, “We will not support new taxes.” The interesting thing is if you look at the willingness of Californians to vote for taxes, the poll data clearly shows the majority of people in California are willing to increase taxes. And more importantly than poll data, if you look at election results at the local level, Californians vote for more tax measures than they vote against. Let me give you a good example, voters in Long Beach specifically enacted an oil severance tax. It’s a city tax. That has been declared off the table by both the Republicans and Gov. Schwarzenegger at the state level. But the people of Long Beach were perfectly willing to do it two years ago.
SH: The majority of Republicans in our Legislature have
SH: Is the two-thirds requirement to pass the budget and to
SH: You spent many years working at the state Capitol. Right now, we are seeing a serious ideological wall between the two parties. Is this a relatively new phenomenon or is this something you’ve seen before? And how much a part of the problem is this?
raise taxes the biggest hurdle we’re seeing in getting better budgets and getting these budgets done on time? Hodson: I think it’s one of the two. If you had, like 47 other states, a majority-vote budget what would happen is the Democrats, the majority party, would enact a budget. The governor, if it was a Republican, would say, “I don’t like that budget,” and then the Republican could veto the entire thing or use the line-item veto. The Democrats would know they would never get the two-thirds to override the veto. So they would be forced to negotiate with the governor. There would be balance there. If it wasn’t for the two-thirds vote, majority budgets would pass and would be passed sooner. A majority vote would make things accountable; it would make it clear it’s the Democrats who just passed this. If you like the budget praise them; if you don’t like the budget it’s their fault. The second thing is the tax structure. Prop. 13 is the third rail. Not many people understand that property taxes on commercial property have been unchanged. The Disney Corporation pays essentially the same taxes on Disneyland that it did in 1978. SH: How much of the huge cuts we’ve seen go through this summer lie at the feet of the voters for rejecting the ballot propositions in the May 19 special election? Hodson: It complicated things. I’ve heard different estimates, but the lowest one is $1 billion this year that had to be found, because of the rejection of the Lottery Initiative. More importantly is the out years where some of the tax increases that were achieved are going to end earlier than had Prop. 1A passed. It made a complicated situation even worse.
SH: When we see such massive cuts to education, both the K-14 system, which includes the community colleges, and the CSU and UC systems, how do they recover from that? Hodson: It will take years and a booming economy. It’s not going to be easy. One of the things that made California great was a commitment the people in the government made in the early 1960s with the Master Plan. The commitment was that there would be a community college, a CSU or a UC within an hour’s drive of every Californian and that it would be affordable. The CSU always had the policy that if you had the grades you could get in. That’s over now. In effect the CSU now has an admission policy like the UC. We’re turning people down. It’s going to take a long time, if ever, to get back to it. Some of the changes may be OK. There has been a steady, increase in the number of units you need to graduate in your major. Is it really necessary to have that many units? Can you roll that back a bit and drop the number of required classes and maybe it’s easier to get through in four or five years? Budget cuts may force some departments to start thinking about that. SH: Last summer there was a group calling for a state constitutional convention and over the past year that movement has grown. Would a constitutional convention and restructuring the way we govern California help with these kinds of budget problems? Hodson: Restructuring is essential. Whether it can be done by a convention is an open question. If you make a list of the five or six most important changes in the California Constitution since 1879, none of them have been the result of a convention. They’ve all been the result of initiatives or amend-
Tim Hodson Director, Center for California Studies ments put on the ballot by the Legislature. There are serious questions about a convention. How do you guarantee that convention delegates look like California? The statewide electorate is white, conservative, older and affluent. The population is diverse, younger and less affluent and more liberal. The second major issue about a convention is: How do you control it? Convention proponents say there is no question that you can have a convention called for a limited purpose. And that’s absolutely true. What they don’t address, which needs to be addressed, is the other half of that. You can call a convention to deal with A, B and C. Once a convention is convened and the delegates decide they are going to take on D, E, F and G, what’s to prevent them from doing that? The case law is old and thin, but fairly conclusive that once a convention is in session it can do anything it damn well wants. Of course the mother of all precedents is the Federal Constitutional Convention of 1787. It was convened and told explicitly it was not to develop a new constitution. My personal concern is that it runs away, it stalemates, and whatever come out of it is defeated at the polls. Then we’re sort of worse off than we are.
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Wednesday - September 2
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CSU Fees: Prediction falls short of state budget realities budget problem, Kepley said. Teresa Ruiz, CSU spokesperson, said that with all of these new developments in the state’s budget, it has been very challenging. She’s not expecting any dramatic shift in the budget, and she’s aware that the outlook is not great. “They will have to work with what they have,” Ruiz said. When broken down, the fee increase raises undergraduate university fees by $672, teacher credential university fees by $780 and graduate student fees by $828. For undergraduate students, annual costs increased from $3,354 to $4,026 this year. Including $801 in various campus fees, the new total comes out to be $4,827 per year for undergraduates at Sac State. One-third of revenue from
fees, or approximately $79 million, will be set aside for financial aid, while $157 million will go to pay off part of the state budget deficit. More than 187,000 CSU students will not have to worry about paying the extra money due to grants, fee waivers and federal tax credits. Although the CSU was hit with a double fee increase, it is one of the largest recipients of Federal Pell grants, according to a Sac State press release. Many students, whether or not they are given financial aid, are affected by the fee increase. Sophomore Lisa Prefach was shocked when she first heard the news of the increase. “I didn’t think we would be having fee increases,” she said. “I know our budget isn’t at its
best, but still, I thought the politicians … would figure a way to keep it from getting into the students pockets.” Some students, like Senior Tianna Jones “kind of expected it,” and said she is not mad about the increases. Junior Jennifer Gilbertson said she was astonished when she first heard of the fee increase. She realized that the new fee will make things “pretty rough, especially for students who are paying for themselves.” Because Gilbertson’s parents are paying for her tuition, she said she is not affected by the increases, but her family is not completely off the hook. Both her parents have ended up earning 15 percent less income because of state-imposed furloughs, which Gilberston said
affects her parents a lot. Prefach, like Gilbertson, is not personally affected by the increase. “I am very lucky,” she said. “I don’t have to worry about if I can make the payments or not because my parents pay for my college education.” Two students, Travis Donselman from CSU San Bernardino and Samantha Adame from San Francisco State University, took action during the week of Aug. 9 when they decided to file a lawsuit against the CSU Board of Trustees on behalf of all CSU students. Donselman and Adame claimed when the Board of Trustees announced the first fee increase, it established a contract set at that increased fee. By later adding another fee increase after students paid
their registration fees, the board broke that contract. It is illegal to double-bill students, and that is exactly what the students claimed the Board of Trustees did. Jonathan Weissglass, one of the attorneys representing the two CSU students, said the students approached the law firm about a lawsuit because they were concerned about last-minute fee increases after they were already billed. “Their goal is to stop the increases for those who haven’t paid and get refunds for those who have,” Weissglass said. “The fee increase may be unfortunate, but it’s a reality,” Ruiz said. She said she can accept that the Board of Trustees did what they had to do and that “they’re not picking on
us.” When Jones heard about the lawsuit, she said it was crazy and said she thinks Donselman and Adame have “no chance” of winning. Freshman Jason Wong said the Board of Trustees “increased the fee because the state doesn’t support the college.” “I wouldn’t go that far,” said freshmen Paul Olalde. “They got to do what they got to do to get the money.” He also said he does not think the students have a chance of winning the case. Gilbertson, on the other hand, said he thinks it’s great that Donselman and Adame took up the lawsuit. The case was granted an expedited hearing on Monday.
Jacobs: Known as activist, leader, relentless advocate Leadership Program in 1996, which is devoted in training and graduating leaders who can improve urban schools and communities, and was actively involved with the program as the coordinator until her death. “It was exciting and challenging in a positive way working with her,” said Francisco Reveles, educational leadership and policy studies department chair. “She did not tolerate mediocrity and challenged everyone who worked around her.” Through the Urban Leadership Program, Jacobs was not only involved with the Sac State community, but she reached out to the communities outside of the campus, working with students and community residents from different backgrounds and classes. “She had students all over campus and spread out in the community doing work for K through 12 education,” Wehr said. “Everywhere you went, all the school districts and schools, you could find her old mentees and students doing the work making lives better for other people.”
To Reveles, Jacobs was a “spiritual and intellectual” leader who he knew was not afraid to mix things up or work for a cause. “I told her that if I ever got incarcerated for my views, she would be the first one with a bull horn organizing the street masses to release me,” he said. Jacobs was easy going and got along with everyone well, Wehr said, but she knew when to take a stand. “(Jacobs) was always the one to stand up. She had very strong ethical principal and she was also a strong union activist,” he said. Whether she agreed with them or not, Jacobs reached out to others. “One of the things she always did and insisted at union meetings and events was that we take good care of our activists and our student participants,” Wehr said. “She always insisted on having chocolate there.” Through her classes and the Urban Leadership Program, she emphasized to her students and colleagues that activism could not be done sitting still.
“She really wanted to walk our talk,” Reveles said. “When we talked about diversity and equality, she was the one who held us accountable.” As an activist who enjoyed others with different views, she let her students lead class discussions and debates on issues of justice and fairness. “Her classes were very inspirational,” said Patricia Holmes, administrative support coordinator for the Sac State social work division and former student of Jacobs. “Her desire to change urban communities was the inspiration for us to bring positive changes.” During her classes, Jacobs had discussions about peace, justice and fairness. “She had discussions about the issues in front of us and mattered to us,” Holmes said. Jacobs’ commitment to her students and programs, Holmes said, was motivating to those around her. Along with being an educator, Jacobs enjoyed and shared her knowledge and experience by being a mentor to students and colleagues.
Jacobs was “one of the best mentors” he ever had, Reveles said, and he owes his success as the department chair in part to her. “She appealed to higher sense of purpose in the programs with students,” Reveles said. While Jacobs made clear of her views to those around her, she welcomed diversity and invited others to speak up. “She was a relentless pursuer of justice. She was very passionate about equality and justice,” said Cecil Canton, professor of criminal justice and associate vice president of the statewide CFA. Jacobs set high standards, Canton said, she wanted to challenge her students. “She was consistently challenging people to be better than they want to be,” he said. As an educator, Jacobs insisted on teaching students more than just textbook material. “(Jacobs) knew that life was hard. So she wanted people to be ready for the struggles,” Reveles said. “I think that led to her higher expectation in classrooms.”
While she spoke passionately for activism and justice, Jacobs also taught students to be compassionate. “She wanted her students to be understanding of those who may not have had the same privilege as they did,” Canton said. “She was a person who really fought to understand others.” With the CFA, which represents faculty members of the California State University system, Jacobs led the group by not giving in to conformity. “She got us out of the intellectual model that things are either this or that,” Canton said. “She consistently reminded us that things didn’t have to be either or; that they could be ‘and.’” At the July 9 celebration of Jacobs’ life in the Redwood Room in the University Union, attendees were encouraged to donate to the Dr. Lila Jacobs Urban Leadership Scholarship Fund instead of flowers.
“Lila was an extraordinary person; she was a great activist and educator,” Wehr said. Her colleagues agree that Jacobs brought attention to
Lila Jacobs was known for always advocating for diveristy inside the classroom and out.
the students and faculty the equality and civil rights issues that are important to a diverse campus community such as Sac State’s. “I think she raised the level of consciousness about issues of justice and equality on campus,” Canton said. “She was an advocate. She was definitely a fighter.”
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News Section
ASI Fees: Gonzalez ratifies proposals despite no vote ous things like university fees, books, and living costs have been raised to accommodate the rising costs of attending a university. But the funding has not. The last increase that went toward Intercollegiate Athletics was in 1995, said John Kepley, special assistant to the president. The Hornet, on the other hand, is used to supply the campus with news and, due to the state of the economy, revenue from advertising is down and needs help from the students to survive, Kepley said. Meanwhile, the CSU’s university fee has increased by more than $1,700 since 1995. The change in fees will allow the athletics department to continue providing scholarships at the higher level to all 20 of its programs, Kepley said. The Hornet will receive a 50-cent increase starting next fall, bringing the total student newspaper fee to $3 per semester. The fee will not take effect until next fall. Gonzalez said he really values the newspaper and, to him, it is a real resource for everyone on campus. “Everyone reads it,” Kepley said. State Hornet Editor-in-Chief Todd Wilson said the students’ rejection of the measures was shortsighted on their part, but he wishes Gonzalez would have respected the vote as the Hornet was prepared to do. “I understand why students voted these measures down. They’re facing tuition fee increases, they’re having hard time finding jobs, they’re feeling the economic pinch,” Wilson said. “Meanwhile, President Gonzalez has to look out for the
welfare of this university as a whole and keep our programs running at the best of their ability.” If ASI’s election turnout would have been higher than 14 percent of the student population - for example 50 percent - the outcome might have been different and Gonzalez would have had a harder time overturning the vote and increasing the fees, Wilson said. The increase will help to offset the costs that come with newspapers such as printing, web site management and things such as photo and video equipment. The Hornet receives most of its money, approximately twothirds, from advertising. And the increase will help even out the economical struggle of lossof-revenue through advertising. The director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Terry Wanless, said the department certainly respects the student vote and it is very fortunate to have a president who understands that sometimes difficult decisions must be made in a broader scope. “Students are very much under a significant amount of pressure to find funds to support their educational pursuits. But at the same time, in order to allow all of our programs to grow and maintain a sense of quality, decisions like this have to be made,” he said. “It’s always infuriating when student referendums are not heard, it’s ignoring the student vote,” said Roberto Torres, president of ASI. “But the athletics fee increase was necessary and President Gonzalez did what he thought was necessary
to keep the athletics department running.” Due to the increase in university fees this past year, scholarship costs are rising meaning that fewer students will receive scholarships. “I certainly applaud President Gonzalez for his vision, for his commitment to excellence and believe this was the appropriate decision in light of the vote,” Wanless said. Before the tuition increase, the athletics department spent about $3.4 million per year in scholarships. Wanless said the athletics department is thankful for the fee increase and will mainly spend the money on scholarships. According to the Sac State Fee Update Notice, intercollegiate athletics fee increase is composed of three tiers. First, $18 for fall 2009, $22 fall 2010 and finally a $22.50 increase for fall 2011 making a total of $125.00 per semester.
Effective this fall, the annual full-time state university fees will increase by $672 for undergraduate students, $780 for teacher credential students and $828 for graduate students. The increase is in addition to the $306 state university fee increase, for full-time undergraduates, that was adopted in May. The undergraduate state university fee will go up from the current $3,354 to $4,026 per year. The state university fee is in addition to mandatory fees charged by each individual university, such as the student body association fee, facility fee, health services fee and athletics fee.
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Stimulus: Money used to boost campus programs worker families by offering evening classes for people who did not complete high school to receive their G.E.D. The program was granted $2.3 million for its five-year program. “We depend on that funding in order to offer this program. This funding is vital,” said Maria Mejorado, HEP director and associate professor of the College of Education in the bilingual multicultural department. The grant will cover the cost
of instructors, materials and the G.E.D. test for every student. “In an economy where knowledge is the most important commodity a person and a country have to offer, the best jobs will go to the best educated,” President Barack Obama said in a speech about the stimulus at the United States Department of Education. “We’re beginning to offer every single American the best education the world has to offer from the cradle to the classroom, from college to careers.”
The stimulus allocated $4 billion to California by the U.S. Department of Education on April 2, mandating that $3.3 billion be spent on education. The remaining $700 million can be spent at the governor’s discretion. State officials expect the funds to be spent on law enforcement. Along with funds from the stimulus, California is receiving educational funds under other federal programs such as No Child Left Behind and the Workforce Investment Act.
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News Section
statehornet.com
Address: Aware of the negative, improving the positive death of public education and is a somber event.” Anthony Sheppard, Faculty Senate chair and recreation, parks and tourism administration professor, said the president covered what the campus needed to hear in his address. “But it is also worth noting that there are also a separate meeting on the budget and series of communications from the administration regarding the furlough issue, so it wasn’t all that we were hearing,” Sheppard said in an e-mail. Given the fee increases, faculty and staff furloughs and across-the-board budget cuts that are being implemented to balance the budget, Associated Students, Inc., President
Roberto Torres said his main concern is how the effects will take place on campus and how they will affect the students’ quality of education. “It’s not acceptable that students are paying more for less,” Torres said. Sheppard said he’s worried about the morale of the faculty and staff members. “Faculty have lost raises of approximately 20 percent over a three-year contract, have seen colleagues lose jobs, will lose 9.23 percent of their pay through the furlough program and still want to provide the best education that we can given the diminishing resources,” he said. “And the staff situation on campus is equally bad.”
Gonzalez said students’ graduation rates will probably be affected, considering the 40,000 students who will not be admitted to the CSU system next school year. It is unknown what extent graduation rates will be affected,. On the campus level, this trickles down to 3,000 students who will not be admitted next school year. “We’re doing everything we can already,” Gonzalez said. Gonzalez said despite the budget crisis, there have been a lot of achievements on campus that “we can feel good about.” The financial aid team, Gonzalez said, is just short of $46 million in disbursements. “That represents a 30 percent
increase during these very challenging times,” he said. This year’s enrollment is also right on target, he said. “Because we closed spring admissions, our strategy is to over enroll slightly in the fall in order to achieve our annualized enrollment target.” Classroom upgrades, construction and technological advancements are still under way. Sac State was recently reaccredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. In addition, government grants and stimulus funds have been awarded to Sac State this year, specifically, to the College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics, College of Education
and College of Continuing Education. To further assure the campus community of the high quality of education, Gonzalez commended incoming freshmen and graduating seniors’ performance in last year’s Collegiate Learning Assessment Program, a standardized test to evaluate college students’ cognitive growth. He also praised faculty members for their scholarly and creative works that have brought attention to the university. “There was a spirit of collaboration that was very strong,” said Chrystal Barranti, professor of social work, when asked about her reaction to the presi-
dent’s address. Barranti said she’s mostly concerned with the impact on students’ education.
“I can assure that ASI and the California State Student Association are making sure that we find ways to stabilize fee increases and making sure that we’re getting the education we’re paying for,” Torres said. Gonzalez ended his address by encouraging the campus community to focus on positive communication, collaboration and transparency. “Yes, we have some challenges ahead of us, but I think we also have the energy and commitment to face them together,” he said.
Music listening now Terminal Lounge By Cole Mayer cmayer@statehornet.com After renovations and an updated look this past summer, the formerly known Music Listening Lounge, now named the Terminal Lounge, reopened Monday with new services to offer. “We changed the name because we added music videos, changed the look, and have something new to offer the students, and generally updated the look,” said Naomi Dean, senior Spanish major, who works at the Lounge. “We chose the name because it’s a destination,
a place to escape the humdrum of student life, a place to relax.” The Lounge allows students to chill out and listen to music, either through CD players or by checking out a private room in which to listen to many genres available. There are also magazines to read and board games to play with others. Some students believe the Lounge is a good place to relieve stress during finals. “I used it twice last semester,” said Julian Garcia, senior communication studies major. “It was leaning towards finals, the last two weeks of school. It’s a place to relax, a good place to
come after a hard class. It provides a good alternative to other options on campus.” Dean said the reactions from students and staff have all been positive. “They like the look; it’s more modern,” she said. “It’s more of a relaxed feel, like a living room; just a hangout place.” Damien Westfield, senior psychology major, has only used the Lounge once, but enjoyed it as a place to take a load off. “It’s relaxing sitting on the beanbag chairs,” he said. “It’s just kind of cool listening to music.” The other major improvement
to the Lounge is the inclusion of music videos available for viewing. “TVs have been added to all the rooms,” Dean said. “There’s different music videos of all genres.” The reactions from students on the new name have been met with positive and negative feedback, and also some indifference. “It throws you off. It’s not what you’d expect a music lounge to be named,” Garcia said. “It catches people’s eyes, so it’s positive and negative at the same time.” Garcia also felt that the name
could get the Lounge more recognition. “I know a lot of people who don’t know about it,” he said. “Changing the name could get the word out. I see [the Lounge] as a value.” Westfield, however, met the name change with indifference. “It’s fine, I don’t really care,” he said. “I’m still just going to call it the music room.” The Terminal Lounge is located on the second floor of the University Union. It is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Fridays, and is closed on weekends. Use of the
Terminal Lounge is free, but a OneCard is required. University Union, second floor Mon. - Thurs.: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday: 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Closed weekends Listen to music Read magazines Play board games Watch music videos Free, OneCard required
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THESTATEHORNET
Opinion
www . s t a t e h o r n e t . c o m
S eptember 2, Wednesday
| F a l l I ss u e 1 | S a c r a m e n t o S t a t e
EDITORIALS
Crisis compels cooperation We have all seen the numbers, we all are feeling the cuts firsthand. Let’s just face it: Sac State is in trouble. Even the president of the university cannot ignore it in his fall address. “The condition of the state’s economy, and more specifically higher education, is the worst it has been in decades,” President Alexander Gonzalez said. It would be easy to point fingers. It would be easy for students and faculty to blame the administration, or the administration to blame the faculty and students. But The State Hornet is not here to rant and rave. What good would it do? What we as a campus need
is collaboration to get through these tough times. Collaboration will allow the best minds to come together and reach a decision for the greater good of campus community. We have four general groups on campus: faculty, students, staff and administration. But all four of these groups are being affected by the budget cuts in the same way. That is all the more reason to get together to work on the problem. For students, now is the time to acknowledge how much power they actually have. In the words of Kevin Wehr, California Faculty Association president, students should “stay informed. Educate your-
self beyond the boundary of the classroom.” To do this, students need to join clubs, participate in elections and be willing to voice their opinions. The Hornet also recognizes the importance of the classroom itself. Students need to drive themselves to excel in their studies. Even with recent fee increases, an education at Sacramento State is still relatively inexpensive. Considering the amount of work faculty and staff provide, Sac State is well worth the cost. But this problem can’t be solved just by one group on campus. Faculty, remember the reasons you are here: to educate
the students. While it may be hard to deal with growing class sizes, the work you do here is vital to the survival of our campus. “People often fail to realize just how talented our faculty is and how much expertise its members bring to our students,” Gonzalez said. And the faculty must be just as willing as students to voice their outrage at the lack of governmental support for higher education. “We’re up against forces that are denying the promise of education,” said Cecil Canton, professor of criminal justice and associate vice president of the statewide CFA. And for the administration, transparency is key to the
vitality of this campus. Be open with your staff. Be honest and fair in your decision making; recognize that it affects every aspect of this community. The Hornet understands the fact that those in charge must make difficult choices to deal with their lack of funding. We are all frustrated. If this is going to work, we need to have patience with each other. Can we? If we all work together, just maybe we can, if we really make an effort to do what Gonzalez asked of us. Like Gonzalez said, “Let us all commit to building a better future for Sacramento State, for our city, and for our region.”
Nallelie Vega State Hornet
President Gonzalez talks about his high hopes for the future of Sac State.
Ask what the Hornet can do for you Last spring, students defeated a measure to raise a fee for The State Hornet newspaper from $2.50 per semester to $3. Despite students’ rejection of the proposed fee increase, President Alexander Gonzalez approved it anyway. Beginning in the 2010-11 school year, students will now be paying 50 cents more for the paper. The Hornet had proposed this increase in funding and was prepared to accept the rejection of its proposal. While the Hornet appreciates Gonzalez’s recognition and support of Sacramento State’s student-run newspaper, it is a bit disheartened
that the student vote was not respected. The Hornet appreciates the money, since ad revenue has been hard to come by, but it was prepared to do without. Because the Hornet received the funding over student rejections, it has an even greater responsibility to provide the campus with a high-quality student-run newspaper. This means the Hornet promises to do its best to serve as a watchdog. The Hornet promises to cover stories to the best of its ability while celebrating what is great about our faculty, students and staff. In addition, the Hornet
hopes to provide readers with useful information about our university and community. Staff members put their names on the work they produce weekly for public viewing. As representatives of the Hornet, the staff will work hard to not disappoint its readership. The Hornet promises to do this to the best of its ability. Keep in mind, the Hornet is an entirely student-run newspaper. This means staff at the Hornet work hard each week to give to the campus the best product possible. Using the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code
of Ethics as their guide, the Hornet’s writers will uphold high ethical standards. While this is what the Hornet strives for, realize that its writers are student journalists. Staff members are learning and honing their craft as the year progresses. Because of this, the Hornet will make mistakes. And when it is wrong, the Hornet makes every attempt to correct its errors before printing and admit the errors that slip through. In every single issue the Hornet offers examples of high quality journalism and storytelling. This is evident by the major awards the Hornet has
won in the past year alone, including the 2008 Associated College Press Online Pacemaker, the highest award in college journalism. The Hornet plans to continue this tradition of success and provides students with more than their money is worth. As one of the key voices on campus and an important source for news and information, the Hornet must remain a reliable and unbiased publication. To do this, the Hornet will be sticking to these ethics and follow up with the requests it has received about transparency. The Hornet will be holding itself to the
Financing our future
LAST-DITCH EFFORT
By Thomas Ball tball@statehornet.com
CSU budget cuts hurt us
By Daniel Vasilchuk dvasilchuk@statehornet.com The California State University system is struggling to rise above the deep abyss of its financial troubles. With the new state government budget in place, the CSU must cut nearly $584 million of its expenditures. To deal with these cuts, CSU Chancellor Charles Reed has implemented various budget decisions that show more concern for himself than the faculty or the student body of the CSU system. Firstly, all CSU campuses have had to close spring enrollment for incoming students in addition to lowering the number of applications accepted annually. Students in community colleges who finish up in the fall
will not be allowed to transfer into Sacramento State until the following fall. In a world where time is money, these prospective new students will have to wait a year before joining the CSU system. Reed thinks this is an inevitable change because of the budget situation. “If you reduce your budget expenditures by $584 million, we have to reduce the number of students that we are serving,” Reed said in a CSU Public Affairs video. This means that prospective students with great academic records will be denied entry to Sac State. Secondly, nearly 47,000 employees in the CSU system will have to take furloughs, mandated time off from work, in the coming fall and spring semesters. The furloughed employees include staff, faculty members, students who work on campus and even administrators. In addition, due to deep budget cuts, part-time faculty stands to lose jobs. This loss will leave students with fewer
choices for classes. Kevin Wehr, president of the Sac State Chapter of the California Faculty Association, said that faculty being furloughed and laid off will directly impact CSU students. “[If the] faculty is working 10 percent less, [then] ten percent less is what students are going to get in terms of the quality of their education,” Wehr said. On top of this, the student fees were raised 32 percent over the summer. This, combined with the furloughs, ultimately means that the students are paying more for their education and getting less. But are the furloughs causing as much an inconvenience to the administrators as they are to the faculty and staff? “Luxuries are what the executives are losing; staff are losing necessities and a roof over their head[s],” said Rachel Frame, library assistant at Sacramento State. As of June 2009, Reed’s salary totaled over $400,000 a year, according to The Sacramento Bee’s state salary database. It is highly unlikely he will notice
same standards that it holds California State University’s public entities. To this cause, the Hornet has posted its charter, five-year plan, budget, and documentation of Publication Board meetings. In an effort to hold itself accountable, it is including the SPJ Code of Ethics in this issue. The Hornet accepts all letters to the editor, guest columns and reader complaints. With the students and the staff themselves holding the Hornet accountable, it promises to continue to be a student-run newspaper of which Sacramento State can be proud.
the 10 percent cut in his salary as a result of the furloughs. According to a Nov. 19, 2008 San Francisco Chronicle article, Reed approved large salary increases for nine vice presidents in that year. The Bee’s salary database also indicates that across the CSU system,a total of 1,415 administrators are making hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. At the very least, this means $140 million is going out of the budget just to pay for their salaries. The salaries of these administrators amount to at least onethird of the current budget cuts, so it is obvious they are having a notable effect on precipitating the budget downfall. What can you do as a student to voice your opinion on the situation? To start, there was a rally today at noon in the library quad. You can also call the CSU administrators directly to voice your discontent with their decisions. Let the administration know that you are against decreasing the quality of education that the CSU system provides.
As the new school year begins across this country, our employment outlook is bleak. In this environment, higher education is essential to many who hope to find jobs in the new economy. And yet, as the government struggles with unprecedented deficits, one of the areas hardest hit is education. Especially when it comes to financial aid. The federal financial aid program was created in 1965 with the passage of the Higher Education Act. Since it was created, conservative lawmakers such as Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, have routinely voted against funding the program. According to ontheissues.org, a nonpartisan website, McCain also voted against $5 billion in grants to local educational agencies in 2005. But McCain is not the only conservative who seems to be against financial aid. In 2008, Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., voted against renewal of the Higher Education Act of 1965. The argument against funding financial aid does not serve our best interests. When financial aid is cut, many of the people affected are from impoverished backgrounds. Students such as Clarence George III, communications studies major, are seeking to
break from generations of poverty. “Financial Aid is a life saver for countless inner-city lives,” George said. For many of these students, financial aid is essential for pursuing an education. At Sacramento State, more than 16,000 students depend on financial aid to cover the cost of their classes and books. What conservatives like McCain and DeMint do not understand is that there are fewer and fewer jobs in the United States for workers possessing simply a high school diploma. “If Financial Aid [were] not here, I would probably be robbing people.” George said. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, people with college degrees have 1.4 million fewer citizens unemployed than those with only a high school diploma. Realistically, people need to have more than a high school diploma to compete in today’s job market. The problem with cutting financial aid is laid out by the U.S. Department of Education. In 2007, it was found that 57 percent of Sac State students received financial aid. Also in 2007, federal aid was provided to students in the Sacramento area attending private universities such as Kaplan and the University of Phoenix. The professions taught in these private colleges, like computer technology, can change rapidly. As such, it makes little sense to use public money to fund these private colleges in such a crisis. So many people are left behind because of their inability to get financial aid. This is the tragedy of the American education system.
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Opinion Section
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Society of Professional Journalists: Code of Ethics Preamble: Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. The duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues. Conscientious journalists from all media and specialties strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty. Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist’s credibility. Members of the Society share a dedication to ethical behavior and adopt this code to declare the Society’s principles and standards of practice.
Seek Truth and Report It:
Journalists should be honest, fair and courageous in gathering , reporting and interpreting information.
Journalists should:
- Test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error. Deliberate distortion is never permissible. - Diligently seek out subjects of news stories to give them the opportunity to respond to allegations of wrongdoing. - Identify sources whenever feasible. The public is entitled to as much information as possible on sources’ reliability. - Always question sources’ motives before promising anonymity. Clarify conditions attached to any promise made in exchange for information. Keep promises. - Make certain that headlines, news teases and promotional material, photos, video, audio, graphics, sound bites and quotations do not misrepresent. They should not oversimplify or highlight incidents out of context. - Never distort the content of news photos or video. Image enhancement for technical clarity is always permissible. Label montages and photo illustration. - Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information except when traditional open methods will not yield information vital to the public. Use of such methods should be explained as part of the story. - Never plagiarize. - Tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experience boldly even when it is unpopular to do so. - Examine their own cultural values and avoid imposing those values on others. - Avoid stereotyping by race, gender, age, religions, ethnicity, geography, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance or social status. - Support the open exchange of views, even views they find repugnant. - Give voice to the voiceless; official and unofficial sources of information can be equally valid. - Distinguish news from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two. - Recognize a special obligation to ensure that the public’s business is conducted in the open and that government records are open to inspection.
Minimize Harm:
Ethical journalists treat sources, subjects and colleagues as human beings deserving of respect.
Be Accountable:
Journalists are accountable to their readers, listeners, viewers and each other.
Journalists should:
- Clarify and explain news coverage and invite dialogue with the public over journalistic conduct. - Encourage the public to voice grievances against the news media. - Admit mistakes and correct them promptly. Expose unethical practices of journalists and the news media. - Abide by the same high standards to which they hold others.
Act Independently:
Journalists should be free of obligation to any interest other than the public’s right to know.
Journalists should:
- Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived. - Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise integrity or damage credibility. - Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment, and shun secondary employment, political involvement, public office and service in community organizations if they compromise journalistic integrity. - Disclose unavoidable conflicts. - Be vigilant and courageous about holding those with power accountable. - Deny favored treatment to advertisers and special interests and resist their pressure to influence news coverage. - Be wary of sources offering information for favors or money; avoid bidding for news.
Journalists should:
- Show compassion for those who may be affected adversely by news coverage. Use special sensitivity when dealing with children and inexperienced sources or subjects. - Be sensitive when seeking or using interviews or photographs of those affected by tragedy or grief. - Recognize that private people have a greater right to control information about themselves than do public officials and others who seek power, influence or attention. Only an overriding public need can justify intrusion into anyone’s privacy. - Show good taste. Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity. - Be cautious about identifying juvenile suspects or victims of sex crimes. - Be judicious about naming criminal suspects before the formal filing of charges. - Balance a criminal suspect’s fair trial rights with the public’s right to be informed.
Source: Society of Professional Journalists
Healthy argument Berkeley professor causes controversy By Samantha Palileo spalileo@statehornet.com Though the glitz and glamor of campaign season has died down, I find myself drowning in heated banter regarding policy proposals. My efforts to make sense of the debates surrounding President Barack Obama’s planned health care bill seems to be a daunting task. The proposed system’s chief principles are accessibility, affordability, and advancement in the general logistics of the health care system. These reforms are aimed at the needs of the struggling middle class.
In a nationwide television ad campaign, one organization, the Club for Growth, compares the planned system to that of the current British health care system. It alleges that the British system places monetary worth on a human life by placing a cap on the expenditure for an individual’s medical care. In an Aug. 18 interview on National Public Radio, Britain’s National Health Service adviser Ara Darzi defended the European health care system. “What you’re hearing is not just false and distasteful,” Darzi said. Barbara O’Connor, communication studies professor, explains why people shy away from health care reform. “[Health care] is such an emotional issue because people are frightened, especially in the state of the economy,” she said. George Lakoff, writer of a recent perspective piece on the issue in independent news publication Truthout, said the
vague and unfocused promotion of the health care proposal has been leaving the public to draw its own conclusions about the change to come. Naturally, the public anticipated the worst. Former President Bill Clinton’s 1993 health care bill was subject to the same flack after confidential and negatively suggestive proceedings were leaked to the public. The public’s support of his platform was thus compromised, causing the policy’s infrastructure to crumble. This summer I turned 22. This one little year added to my age makes me ineligible as a dependent under their coverage. I could find a job that offers health benefits to part-time employees, or drown in hospital bills if something should happen to me. I can only hope that a resolution is reached soon. Until then, the well-being of millions hangs in the balance.
McClatchy Tribune
Sen. Arlen Specter checks his watch while a protestor lets his opinion be seen at a town hall meeting on health care reform in Lebanon, Pennsylvania on Aug. 11.
By Nelly Hayaghaib nhayatghaib@statehornet.com On Aug. 19, the first day of class at the University of California, Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law, students, activists, lawyers and community members gathered to call for Professor John Yoo’s dismissal from the university. Yoo is a former Bush administration lawyer. His teaching position at Boalt is being protested because of a torture memo he created and authored, known as the Bybee Memo. In it, Yoo authored the legal justification for the Bush administration to employ waterboarding and other enhanced interrogation techniques. It was that document that solidified the legal standing that exempted former President George W. Bush from the War Crimes Act. This memo, in effect, located the necessary loopholes to protect the Bush administration from prosecution. Boalt Hall dean Christopher Edley has faced a great deal of pressure to dismiss Yoo. In spite of this, he said in an Aug. 17 interview with KQED radio that he will not do so. “The bottom line, I think, is that unless a faculty member’s behavior interferes with the performance of their duty as a teacher and as a researcher it is very dangerous to open up an inquiry based upon a political poll about his views,” Edley
said. Student activist Evan Carter from the University of California, Santa Cruz, attended the Aug. 19 protest and disagrees with Edley. “Yoo may not have been the one physically waterboarding all our detainees and prisoners of war but it’s because of him that someone was allowed to. He has just as much blood on
to immeasurable suffering and unnecessary deaths. A 2005 classified CIA Inspector General’s report noted a particular case where a detainee died of hypothermia after being drenched in water and left in the Arabian desert overnight. The American Civil Liberty Union’s Accountability Project reported that, conservatively, there have been more than 100
McClatchy Tribune
Professor John Yoo with chief of staff David Addington and acting assistant attorney general Chris Schroeder his hands as the people who were actually committing the torture,” Carter said. The Justice Department put out notice that Yoo was under investigation by the Office of Professional Responsibility. It is questioning the legitimacy of the legal opinions Yoo employed to create justification. The investigation concerns slanted legal advice to appease the White House, false conclusions and the backing for waterboarding and other torture. Is such a man is fit to teach law, a profession rooted and dependent on ethics? Yoo enforced and legitimized backward policies which led
deaths from these torture practices. Countless more detainees have been subject to these practices. Why, in the name of fighting terrorism, do we allow ourselves to terrorize? Yoo shouldn’t be punished because he supports this “war on terror.” He should not be dismissed for believing that waterboarding is okay. Yoo should be disbarred from legal practice and dismissed from his professorship at Boalt Hall’s School of Law for his actions and their direct repercussions. A man who advocates torture should not be permitted to teach justice.
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Features
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| F a l l I ss u e 1 | S a c r a m e n t o S t a t e
S eptember 2, Wednesday
Megan Harris State Hornet
New start for the semester By Yessinia Molina ymolina@statehornet.com
Nallelie Vega State Hornet
Sac State students moved into the new residence halls known as The American River Courtyard on Friday.
It was not too long ago that American River Courtyard residence hall was a completely different building. Now, it is the new home to 600 students who moved into the suite-style units on Friday. The new hall is part of a four-phase plan suggested by the Student Housing Advisory Committee to increase the quantity of students that reside on campus or nearby. In July 2005, Sacramento State enlisted the aid of Anderson Strickler, a national consulting firm, to conduct a study on the demand of more on-campus housing. The study confirmed the need for an additional 2,600 beds of on-campus housing with The American River Courtyard fulfilling the first step towards this goal. Edward Jones, associate vice president of Student Affairs, said the American River Courtyard Hall is approximately 80 percent full, while the neighboring traditional halls have all been filled to capacity. “There was a study done in which it was proven that there is a higher chance to graduation for those who reside on campus,” Jones said. This new hall will serve towards the goal of making Sac State less of a commuter school. “I think this will make it so that students can experience campus life in the classroom and outside of the classroom,” Jones said. Caitlin Kerwin, sophomore child development major, moved into the new residence hall and said she probably won’t be using her car anymore. “I’m right on campus and everything’s so close,” she said. “I think people will want to live here, especially since [the residence halls] are new and they’re so nice.” Julio Zuniga, sophomore
film and psychology major, also moved into American River Courtyard. He said he liked the new residence hall and thinks it is a great place for students. “It makes the school look better if more students actually live on campus,” Zuniga said. American River Courtyard is intended for students of sophomore status and higher, international, and graduate students. There will also be fewer resident advisors than the traditional halls. Rebecca Grupe, sophomore and resident adviser said the new halls are focusing on an older crowd, which is going to benefit Sac State a lot. “It is like having your own apartment, but right on campus for older students that wanted something like that,” she said. Brandon Anderson, an alumnus who spent a year in the traditional hall during his time at Sac State, compared his experience to those possible in the American River Courtyard. “The new hall, I think, might be a better learning environment versus the old traditional halls where your friends are right there and [you] are more easily distracted,” Anderson said. “Putting more students on campus where there is an abundance of resources, and having them connect with their campus can only foster pride and excellence.” Sylvan Mejia, senior communication studies major, believes the new hall will change the environment at Sac State. “Nobody stays on campus too much. They do what they have to do and leave. I think this will bring a more ‘homier’ feel to the campus,” Mejia said. Mejia is optimistic about Sac State’s future. “Some of the buildings around campus are outdated, so having this new modern residence hall, I can say the future looks better for Sac State,” Mejia said.
Textbook rentals Tips for freshmen By Kayla maciel kmaciel@statehornet.com
Being a college student, one must pay for rising tuition, monthly rent and books. Now with the economy in its current state, it is crucial to save a penny wherever possible. Saving money being on everyone’s mind, the Hornet Bookstore has presented a beneficial opportunity. For the first time, students will be permitted to rent textbooks. Starting this semester, students will find they can save over 50 percent on textbooks
by renting them either new or used. Pam Parsons, the bookstore director, said the economy has affected the schooling systems. She believes the idea of textbook rentals and its overall direction is a changing industry. “I think it is good that conversations are causing change,” Parsons said. “We really want this to be successful and we’re proud we’re doing it in a really big way.” There is a short process to be able to rent a textbook. Forms can be found at the front desk where purchases are made.
Contact information is filled out on the form and an agreement to terms and conditions is read and signed. After paying the price up front, students must promise to return the rented textbooks by Dec. 21. The bookstore will also send students three reminder e-mails. If the books are not returned by the due date, 75 percent of the book price is to be paid along with a processing fee. If students decide to drop the class they rented a textbook for, the book can be returned during the normal return see Rent | page B3
By Katrina tupper ktupper@statehornet.com
Many stresses feed into freshmen anxieties. For example: finding and attending classes, building and maintaining friendships, and keeping up physical and mental well-being. These stresses are inevitable, but pointers from knowledgeable individuals can lessen the impact of stress on a student’s well-being. Robert Campagnone, freshman history major, is among these underclassmen that has to deal with the anxiety of a new campus this semester. When asked what he feared most
about the new school experience, Campagnone said that he was not looking forward to navigating the new campus. “I just do not enjoy looking lost and vulnerable; ruins my manly image,” Campagnone said. Amanda Proschold, student coordinator at New Student Orientation, emphasizes that freshmen need to get out there and make an effort to develop a social network. “Making friends is important because friends build confidence, the confidence to ask questions and be involved,” Proschold said. Kalyn Coppedge, health
Graphic By Megan Harris
see Tips | page B4
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Wednesday - September 2
Features Section
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Writer inspires others through novels By amber wertman awertman@statehornet.com
Perseverance pays off for a retired Sacramento State professor, formerly titled a professional writer-in-residence. Mary Mackey taught at Sac State where she was a professor and author-in-residence for 36 years in the English department. She retired in 2008. Writers in residence are resources for students interested in novels or poetry. Born and raised in Indianapolis, Ind., Mackey knew at a very young age that she wanted to be a storyteller. Mackey, 64, who is related to Mark Twain through her father’s side of the family, was read “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” as a little girl. “At around age 5 or 6, I knew I wanted to be a storyteller and write books, but I got serious
about it at age 11,” she said. “I love telling a great story.” Mackey has written 11 novels and five books of poetry and has sold over a million and a half copies worldwide. These publications have been translated into 11 foreign languages, according to the biography on her official website marymackey.com. She said her inspiration for writing comes from the most random places. “I’m always thinking about ideas; I get mugged by them, and they come out of nowhere,” Mackey said. She said she reads the newspaper often and keeps lists of her ideas, but admits she also gets her inspiration from other people. In addition to these inspirations, she said she is fascinated by the Civil War era and the idea of women in combat. Her latest work, “The Widow’s War,” released Tuesday, reflects both
of these concepts. “I was really fascinated with this Afro-Brazilian religion called Candomble and it’s reflected in ‘The Widow’s War,’” Mackey said. “Part of the novel involves these religious traditions and then my heroin takes this background and sees it reflected in the slaves, free and oppressed.” Fellow novelist Dorothy Hearst said Mackey is a wellrounded, gifted writer. “She reaches a lot of audiences. She reaches the literal fiction widely. She reaches historical fiction,” she said. “She also has this wonderful female, strong and brave, which reaches a lot of women as well.” The strong female protagonist in Mackey’s novel is a reflection of her own unique life experiences. “I’ve dedicated my whole adult life to social justice and it’s something I truly believe in,” she said.
Her desire for justice is displayed through her female character Carolyn Vinton in the novel. Mackey said she expects her readers to be entertained. “I want my readers to be moved. I want it to be exciting for them. I want to take them out of their everyday life into another world,” she said. “I don’t want them to have to fight their way through it; I think it’s got something for both women and men.” Hearst, who was one of the first to read the novel, said there are a lot of surprises in the book. “I was surprised by the roles she had women playing. I was also surprised by the role the African American free slaves played,” she said. Friends of Mackey call her passionate, funny, perky and an overall joy to be around. Colleague Brad Buchanan, who has known her for eight years, said she is very cordial
and upbeat. “She is unfailingly delightful,” he said. As far as her writing abilities go, Buchanan looks to Mackey as a mentor. “She is amazingly accomplished. Her poems are my first love,” he said. “I’ve often told her she’s what I want to grow up to be.” Andrew Williamson, a former student of Mackey’s creative writing class, said her real masterpieces are her short stories because she has such great insight into characters and she is very good with language. “She can be very supportive and enthusiastic about people’s creativity,” he said. “She takes a lot of anxiety out of writing.” For Mackey, meeting her fans is a lot of fun. She is surprised at how big her fan base is overseas. “I have a lot of fans in Europe, oddly enough, particular-
Mary Mackey, author
ly in Germany. I love communicating with my fans and hearing their stories,” she said. For those interested in picking up a copy of her novel “The Widow’s War,” Mackey will be signing books at 7:00 p.m. Thursday at Time Tested Books, located 1114 21st St. in midtown Sacramento.
CLUB CORNER | BEATS RHYMES AND CULTURE CLUB
Club redefining the hip-hop culture By jennifer siopongco jsiopongco@statehornet.com
Photo courtesy of Robert Lim
Hip-hop is not just a name. It’s not just a vibe. It’s a culture. The Beats Rhymes and Culture club not only breaks hip-hop down into a dance, but exposes hip-hop culture’s original positive message to the public and brings communities together. “The main thing we do is hold events to help promote real hip-hop and sway it away from its commercial stereotype,” said Vince Horiuchi, senior business management major and club president. The Beats Rhymes and Culture club regularly has an
attendance of 30 to 50 Sacramento State students each semester. They meet once a month to plan events and usually have open practices from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., which rotate from Monday, Wednesday and Friday in Yosemite Hall. “We have disc jockeys, emcees, dancers, beat boys, poppers, graffiti artists and pretty much each element of hip-hop,” Horiuchi said. “We hold open practices for people at Sac State to go practice and work on their craft on a week-to-week basis. Anyone could come, there’s no experience necessary.” The club works closely with organizations such as North Star and Zulu Nation, which
promotes the same positive messages. The Beats Rhymes and Culture club also raises funds for charities such as the Sacramento Food Bank and Wind Youth, a homeless teen shelter. Money is raised through events the club sets up and a part of the ticket sales are collected for the charities. Canned food can also be collected, depending on the type of fundraiser. “We’re really communitybased and, whenever we throw events, we try to link the events to giving back to the community,” said Chris Cantos, senior business marketing major and club vice president. Their next event is “Vortex,” from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sept.
19 in the University Union Ballroom. Tickets can be purchased for $12 pre-sale on www. capitalroots.com and $15 at the door. Part of the proceeds will go toward Wind Youth. “It’s going to be showcasing most of Northern California’s athletics and talents,” said Robert Lim, 28, senior business major and club treasurer. “We’re [also] doing fundraising for our club to raise awareness and fund events for our club in the future.” The event will consist of hiphop dancing, martial arts tricking (which includes performing flips), and break dance battling. Doey Rock, Boogie Monsters, Press Play and Second Nature are expected to make appear-
ances. “It’s a summer series and this is going to be the finals,” Horiuchi said. “There’s usually a Sacramento dance community that comes out which is the reason we did three different elements, so we could bring the three communities [hip-hop, tricking and break dancing] together at one event because everyone’s usually divided.” Those who are interested in joining the club may drop by any meeting or practice. Inquiries about the club may be sent by e-mail to Horiuchi at: vincanity3030@hotmail.com.
Wednesday - September 2
statehornet.com
Features Section
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STATE HORNET Q & A | LT. DANIEL DAVIS
Keeping yourself safe this fall semester No one wants to be a victim of crime. The State Hornet had a chance to sit down and interview Lt. Daniel Davis from the Department of Public Safety on the University Police staff and discuss how students can protect themselves from being a victim of crime State Hornet: What are the most common crimes students fall victim to? Davis: Usually property crimes, whether they be auto theft, unattended property, auto burglary. Most of the crimes here at Sac[ramento] State are property-related. SH: Why are these so common? Davis: Because they’re crimes of opportunity, and when you leave unattended property in a vehicle or unattended property in a building and someone sees it, they tend to gravitate here for those types of crimes. SH: How can students prevent themselves from being a victim of crime?
Davis: When we’re talking about property crimes it’s mainly: don’t leave your property unattended, don’t bring your valuable property on campus, make sure you lock your vehicle, have a car alarm. A large part of our crime here at campus is vehiclerelated because there [are] a lot of cars here parked for long period[s] of time, giving people the opportunity to come here and commit auto burglary or theft of some sort. So, don’t leave anything in your car that’s unattended and, if you do leave valuables, lock them in your trunk or your glove box where they’re not visible from the outside. Have a car alarm and various types of security devices to prevent that. SH: Are these people that are taking things from others cars from campus, or are they random people that just come onto campus? Davis: Usually there are people from off-campus that come here and commit these types of crimes. It’s not the norm for
students to be the ones breaking into cars or stealing cars. SH: What about other crimes on campus? Davis: We do have an occasional sexual assault. There are crimes against persons that do occur. There are assaults that occur on campus, but they’re not as frequent as the property crimes. So just practice standard safety practices like walking in pairs, have your keys with you when you’re walking to your car, walk on the lit paths at night, know where the emergency phones are, have our phone number programmed into your cell phone because if you dial 911 from any of the campus phones you’ll get to our department. If you dial 911 from a cell phone you’ll get the highway patrol, so you should have our seven-digit number programmed into your cell phone. SH: Can you give students the number? Davis: It’s 278-6851.
SH: How can you tell if someone is more likely to be a victim of crime? Davis: Well, there [are] just ways of presenting yourself. Walk confidently with your head held high. SH: What can students do if they feel uncomfortable walking to the car at night? Davis: At night there is a night shuttle service on the campus. There’s also a thing called Safe Rides that’s mainly for people who have had too much to drink so they can get a ride home. If the night shuttle service isn’t available, they can call our department and we act as a backup to that. We will help people by giving them a ride to their vehicle.
device in your vehicle.
SH: So students can call the campus police if they are having trouble on campus? Davis: We provide vehicle lockout if you lock your keys in your car. We also provide backup to the Safe Ride and shuttle. SH: Do you have anything else to add about crime?
SH: If you could give students any one tip, what would you give them?
Davis: Well, Sacramento State is, in general, a pretty safe environment. However, we are situated in a large metropolitan area and there’s crime here like there is in the City of Sacramento. We do have our own police department here that patrols the campus 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so it’s a relatively safe place to be just as long as you’re practicing safe awareness tactics and being conscious that property does get stolen.
Davis: Don’t leave your property unattended and make sure you have some kind of security
For more information visit: www.csus.edu/police. or www. asi.csus.edu/saferides.asp.
Lt. Daniel Davis gives tips to students in Q&A
Important numbers to remember: Campus Police: (916) 278-6851 Night Shuttle: (916) 278-7260 Safe Rides: (916) 278-TAXI The State Hornet plans to run a regular feature that gives the campus community the opportunity to ask Sac State’s Police Department questions. To submit your questions to our “State Hornet ask a Cop” please e-mail the Features section at: features@statehornet.com.
Rent: Bookstore offers cheaper prices period. Since this is such a great way to save money, why hasn’t renting textbooks always been an option? Parsons said this is the first year the Sacramento State campus has had the help of Follett Higher Education Group, Inc. aiding Sac State’s textbook inventory. With Follett giving the bookstore more titles to match up to, Parson said it’s much easier to rent a book now. But there are only certain titles that are being offered as a rental, determined by which textbooks the bookstore thinks will be rented most and which ones are bought most. Specifically, Parsons said, the book-
store makes its decisions based on what may be used most. “Titles are chosen based on what we think will be used four times, or four terms. It depends on the probability of it being readopted for two years,” Parsons said. Parsons said with the hopeful success of the program, more books will continue to be circulated, which will support further textbook renting. Without having to purchase more books for students to buy, the bookstore will save money. With a constant circulation, it might seem as if the bookstore might lose money, however, Parsons said with the huge
database at the Hornet Bookstore, more rents are bound to happen. “It may seem like a gamble at first,” Parsons said. “We want students to have the right option for them.” Sac State students seemed to have little or no knowledge of the rental option. Maria Jocovo, senior business and ethnic studies major, believes the rental process will help the economy as far as school goes and thinks it’s a good idea, especially for students. Maribel Dominquez, freshman psychology major, said she wasn’t familiar with renting textbooks, but thought
it sounded like a good idea and added that it would probably help the economy. Bookstore employee Rick Bose, junior engineering major, thinks that the cheaper prices of books through renting will ultimately save money. “Renting is cheaper because buy backs at the end of the semester isn’t a guarantee,” Bose said. Parsons really wants the textbook rentals to be successful and believes word of mouth will help. She also described Sac State as being “ground zero,” meaning our campus is the jumping-off point for this new trend.
Graphic By Megan Harris
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Wednesday - September 2
Features Section
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Tips: Ways to keep students balanced educator of the Fitness, Healthy, Eating and Lifestyle Program, FitHELP, said to not be worried about making friends on the first day of school because you can’t force friendships. Coppedge reminds freshmen to focus on finding their classes the first day of school and that they shouldn’t be nervous if they don’t make a handful of friends. Larry Kay, reservations coordinator at New Student Orientation, believes that clubs are a great way to create a social network. “Being in a club places you with individuals who are in the
same position as yourself and are striving for similar goals. There are over 250 clubs on campus, so finding a group that fits your interests shouldn’t be hard,” Kay said. Coppedge said Club Rush will take place within the first two weeks of school. Coppedge mentioned that although students should strive to make new friends and to join clubs, it is important to remember that passing classes should come first. Nikki Rodriguez, student manager of FitHELP, warned that students should not get in the habit of ditching classes.
Even if attendance is not important in a specific class, Rodriguez said that regular attendance will keep you up-to-date with class assignments, which ultimately will save you from a ton of stress. Coppedge said that one efficient way of releasing stress is to develop a workout schedule that fits easily into your school schedule. To help you accomplish this feat, Sac State offers many recreational classes. “Signing up for one of these classes would automatically schedule your workout into your day; not to mention you will receive units upon passing
the class,” Coppedge said. She thinks a great way to stay in shape and create a social network would be to join Hornets on the Move. This is a club on campus that brings individuals together weekly to walk or jog. Coppedge said that at Phlagleblast, the University Union’s biannual open house on Sept. 9, FitHELP will be handing out free pedometers. Phlagleblast is an event held in the University Union every semester. Each of the companies established in the Union hand out free items to students. Students can pick up a pedometer and use it to
measure how many steps they take each day or in each of their workouts. One resource Rodriguez pointed out is every student has three free 15-minute massages at Mellow Me Out, in the Union. “Ultimately, it is very important to take advantage of your resources on campus,” Coppedge said. The Student Health Center and FitHELP are available for any student to utilize. At FitHELP, you can meet with an expert who will work in unison with you to establish a personalized workout plan.
Information regarding the clubs on campus can be found on the third floor of the University Union in the Student Activities Department.
See what advice upperclassmen have for firsttime at www.statehornet. com
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Sports
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S eptember 2, Wednesday
|F a l l I ss u e 1 | S a c ra m ento S tate
Nallelie Vega State Hornet
Football captains from left to right - defensive back Deionte Gordon, defensive lineman Zack Nash, offensive lineman Matt Lemley and quarterback Jason Smith, with Herky on their side, are ready to make a postseason push. In head coach Marshall Sperbeck’s third season, Sac State is on the brink of being Big Sky Conference title contenders in ‘09.
Sac State to contend in ‘09 By Britney Rossman brossman@statehornet.com
With the loss of some key players from the 2008 football squad, like linebackers Mike Brannon and Cyrus Mulitalo, the 2009 Sacramento State football season may come as a major task for head coach Marshall Sperbeck. However, the Hornets are more than willing to take on the challenge, and they are more excited than ever. Sac State’s football program
has improved since Sperbeck took over the team in 2007. He led his team to a great finish last year and hopes their great finish will provide some momentum for a good start to the beginning of this season. Junior wide receiver Ronald Richardson believes that the team benefited from Sperbeck’s strategies and astounding knowledge of the game that will lead the Hornets to victory in 2009. “We should have a good
season. Coach has not only done a good job recruiting, but has done an even better job filling the positions. It helps that he’s well knowledgeable about all positions. It’s difficult when a coach can relate to only offense or only defense – but not Sperbeck. He understands both sides of the ball,” Richardson said. Last season the Hornets had a 6-6 record, and they were just shy of making the playoffs. Sac State finished the season on a
high note when they defeated UC Davis in the annual Causeway Classic rivalry game for the first time since 1999. Due to last year’s success, it would be no surprise to many people that a predicted good season for the Hornets becomes a reality. UC Davis head coach Bob Briggs could not agree more when considering the Sac State football program’s vast progressions and expectations this season. “Sac State is a much im-
proved team. They have had quite the turnaround. Their offense and defense have great results, but that defense has a great group of linebackers. I have much respect for coach Sperbeck and his staff. They have done a tremendous job,” Briggs said. When considering the loss of Brannon and Mulitalo, Briggs said he believes their absence will test the Hornets’ strength. “That is the real test to being a great football team. You
must have a consistent group of players so that when key players leave, not much changes. Good, successful teams come from consistent seasons. And as you win more, players begin to want to play for you, which in turn allows room for another consistent season,” he said. Hornets’ junior defensive lineman Marque Willis said the team plans to maintain consistency no matter who is on see Football| page B8
Players to watch - fall 2009 preview By Poetic Reid preid@statehornet.com
This year, Sacramento State Athletics is once again fielding promising teams for the fall sports season. The State Hornet put together a list of players from the various fall sports it believes are the ones to watch. The list includes women’s volleyball player Desiree Hoyum, football’s Jason Smith, women’s soccer player Kim Kemper, and men’s soccer player Fernando Cabadas. The Hornet sat down with these team leaders to discuss their goals for the upcoming season.
Jason Smith, Quarterback Football:
Smith, junior business administration major, is a leader on the team this year. Smith, a 6-foot, third year varsity player attended Liberty High School in Brentwood. This season Smith hopes to help Sac State improve on last season’s 6-6 record. Football has been a big piece of Smith’s life. “Football has been a big part of my life since before I could even walk.” Smith said. His older brothers played football and their dad coached them, he said. “My dad carried me in a baby pouch to his games,” he said. Smith was a walk-on for the Hornets and he redshirted during the 2006 season. He worked his way to become the starting quarterback in 2007, and started all 11 games that season. Smith threw for 1,824 yards and had 16 touchdowns. He pushes himself and his teammates that much harder because of the challenges he faced to get to the point he is at now. “It shows young kids that anything is possible. You don’t have to be the most sought-out recruit to be a good football player. If you got what it takes go for it. Don’t wait for it to come to
Kim Kemper, Forward Women’s Soccer:
Kemper, senior liberal studies major, is one of this year’s team leaders. Kemper, a 5-foot-8-inch fourth year varsity player attended Bella Vista High School in Orangeville. Sports have always played a major role in her life. Since she was 5 years old, Kemper has
focused her attention towards soccer. “Although growing up, I did try playing different sports, my loyalty and passion remained towards soccer,” Kemper said. During high school, Kemper played for both her school team and a club team. Kemper was named as one of 30 candidates for the 2009 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Act Award, which is given to students athletes who exemplifies dedication on the field and in the classroom. Kemper has no time to focus on awards she said because her main focus is her team’s success.
Fernando Cabadas, Midfielder Men’s Soccer:
Cabadas, junior mathematics major, is also leader this year. Cabadas, a 6-foot-1-inch third year varsity player attended Hiram Johnson High School in Sacramento. He scored two goals, had an assist and earned first team all-MPSF honors for his diligence on and off the field in 2008. Soccer is a way of life for Cabadas. “Growing up I was always around soccer. My dad played Soccer, so it is second nature for me,” he said. Cabadas is his own worst critic. “I am not satisfied with how I played last season,” he said. Cabadas hopes to have a better season in 2009. “I need to score more goals and have more assists,” Cabadas said. Cabadas also hopes to help his team play better. “If you play at a high level, your team will play at a high level,” he said. Cabadas said it is the Hornets’ mission to qualify for the NCAA Tournament and win the championship.
Desiree Hoyum, Outside Hitter Women’s Volleyball:
Hoyum, senior kinesiology major, leads the volleyball team this year. Hoyum, a 6-foot, fourth-year varsity player attended West Valley High School in Anderson, Calif. Volleyball was not a sport that she grew up around. “I only began playing volleyball in school just to be involved in a team sport. As time passed the sport grew on me. I played volleyball in high school, and on club teams,” Hoyum said. Hoyum’s main concern this season is winning. “If the team is successful, I am successful. I am going to do whatever it takes to make the team better,” she said. Hoyum feels the team is working on lessons it learned last season. “The team is working together and is working hard to be more aggressive this season. We looked at our weaknesses from last season and built on that,” she said.
B6
Wednesday - September 2
Sports Section
statehornet.com
Athletes want reparation from EA By Dustin Nosler dnosler@statehornet.com If you have ever played an Electronic Arts, Inc. College Football video game, “Now playing quarterback for the Hornets, QB No. 9,” should sound familiar. This is the way the game developer names its players, for those who have not played the game. Due to NCAA sanctions, college players are not allowed to be compensated for the use of their names and likenesses. The developer has to get creative well, as creative as “QB No. 9” can be. However, former University of Nebraska quarterback Sam Keller, also known as “QB No. 9,” sees it otherwise. Keller, who was on Nebraska’s football team in 2007, has brought a class action lawsuit against EA Sports, Inc. and the NCAA for using the virtual likeness and name of he and other NCAA athletes in the video games to earn a profit. He is filing on behalf of NCAA football and basketball players. The games also have head coaches who are portrayed in the game, Hornets’ head coach Marshall Sperbeck would be, “Sacramento State Coach” in the game. Sperbeck said he does not mind, provided the por-
trayal of him is in good taste. “As long as it is not projected in a bad way, or used in an abusive manner, I do not think I would have a problem with that,” he said. “There are a lot of (professional) athletes who are being compensated for it, so there is probably argumentative discussion that can go back and forth as far as, ‘Do college athletes deserve compensation for their performance and for their ability to be used in a video game?’” Unlike the head coach, the players tend to say they feel otherwise. David Coleman, a sophomore Hornet linebacker from Palmdale, Calif., said he would like to see some kind of recognition for his performance. “I feel like we should be credited for playing. They are playing with us but we are not getting any credit for it. Maybe we should be profiting off of that, too,” Coleman said. Junior Hornet wide receiver Ron Richardson from Pomona, Calif., had a similar response. “Even if we do not get credit, we could at least get recognized physically,” Richardson said. “If they would put my name in the game, that would be just as good (as compensation), especially at this level because you are not supposed to get paid for anything.”
The suit states some of the issues have to do with the exact height, weight, handedness and discernible physical features of the players. The best player in college football, Tim Tebow, is 6 feet 3 inches, 245 pounds, throws left-handed and wears No. 15, according to the official Florida Gators’ athletic website. Those statistics are exactly the same in the video game. The same can be said for many of the Sacramento State players in the game. According to the official court document, “NCAA Bylaw 12.5 specifically prohibits the commercial licensing of an NCAA athlete’s ‘name, picture or likeness.” The suit also makes the connection between players in the NCAA games and players in the Madden NFL games. It specifically points out Miami Dolphins’ left tackle Jake Long, the first overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, as having the same attributes from NCAA 2008 and Madden ‘09. The virtual Long even looks the same in both versions of the game. The court document also states “In addition to physical features, Electronic Arts, Inc. even matches players’ idiosyncratic equipment such as wristbands, headbands, facemasks and visors.”
J. P. Ryan State Hornet
Defensive lineman Zack Nash (closest to the left) challenges quarterback Jason Smith (closest to the right) to a game of Electronic Arts’ NCAA Football 10 in the newsroom of The State Hornet. Smith played as Sac State, while Nash was the Montana Grizzlies. The video games in question are the NCAA Football and NCAA March Madness franchises. “EA, the NCAA and Collegiate Licensing Company have reviewed the complaint, and do not believe that the claims have merit. EA, the NCAA and CLC regularly conduct reviews of EA’s NCAA-branded games,
and we do not believe that any violations of student-athlete rights or NCAA bylaws have occurred,” senior publicist for EA Sports, Julie Michel said. A May statement released by NCAA spokesman Bob Williams echoed EA’s position on the issue “Our agreement with EA Sports clearly prohibits the use
of names and pictures of current student-athletes in their electronic games,” Williams said. “We are confident that no such use has occurred.” According to an Aug. 9 article in the Orlando Sentinel, the case is in a holding pattern. There is no hearing or court date currently set.
Soccer searching for a winning touch By Jeondra Arrington jarrington@statehornet.com Sacramento State’s women’s soccer team is projected to finish third in the Big Sky Conference, two spots lower than last year’s preseason coaches’ poll, despite barely missing the playoffs last season and winning the Big Sky Conference Tournament two seasons ago. The Hornets also advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history during Randy Dedini’s first season as head coach in 2007. Dedini aims to return to the Big Sky Tournament in 2009. “Having missed the playoffs last year made everyone realize just how important those conference games are,” Dedini said.
Dedini’s approach to getting back into conference play involves staying focused throughout the course of the season. Sac State is prepared to be a contender in the very physical Big Sky Conference. The Hornets begin conference play on Oct. 9 with a game against the second-ranked Northern Arizona. Northern Arizona was an opponent the Hornets could not beat last season. “League games are so competitive. Sometimes it comes down to who wants it more,” Dedini said. The Hornets hope to maintain the motivation necessary to make it through conference games playing their best soccer. Dedini feels that the team is more mature than last year
Carli Knickerbocker State Hornet
Senior Danielle Holloway (left) and sophomore Elece McBride (right) performing a drill during soccer practice.
with senior captains Kim Kemper, Christina Trenton and Ashley Forbes returning. Kemper earned a first team Big Sky honor, while Forbes and Trenton received honorable mentions. Kemper was the second-consecutive Hornet to win the Big Sky Golden Boot award, which is given to the Big Sky Conference’s leading scorer. Dedini is relying heavily on his captains to supply leadership by keeping the team focused and ensuring everyone is on the same page. Another role Dedini has for his captains are keeping the team chemistry strong to guarantee the team plays well together. He expects junior midfielder Cori Shreves to make a bigger impact this year and goalkeeper Savannah Abercrombie to continue to provide strong defense. The Hornets will have plenty of players who can contribute off the bench, with a good freshman class coming in and nearly all players healthy. With the exception of two injuries to Laura Bonner, who is out for the season with a shoulder injury, and Shea Roberts, who is expected to return to her spot on the lineup once she has recovered from a broken collarbone, Sac State is healthy going into the season. Roberts is considered to be the team’s strongest transfer player and should make a bigger impact on the defensive line once she is at 100 percent. She played in Sunday’s season opener against UC Davis in which ended in a double-overtime 1-1 tie. Rob-
erts took one shot in the draw. “I would have liked to finish more scoring opportunities, but (Sac State) makes it hard to do that. They covered the field well defensively, so we had to take more dangerous shots than I would have liked,” UC Davis head coach MaryClaire Robinson said. The two exhibition games the team has played so far this year gave the coach a chance to establish how they want to play with the new additions and returning players. They tied with CSU Stanislaus 0-0 and lost to Chico State 1-0. Dedini’s priority was to give the players a good look. “This is the time for us to get a look at players that may not get a lot of time during the season and see where we are at,” Dedini said. Early summer games provide the team an opportunity to figure out what works in regard to which players to use and to incorporate summer training into game situations. “The newcomers fit well with the team and the freshman players are doing well even though it is early in the season. The team has plenty of room to grow,” Forbes said. With scheduled rematches against three opponents they lost to last season - UC Santa Barbara, Fresno State and San Jose State - the Hornets will have plenty of chances to redeem themselves. The Hornets are already turning heads within the Big Sky Conference. Many can see that
Sac State is better than their Big Sky Conference preseason ranking. “(Sac State) was picked third instead of first (in the preseason Big Sky Conference standings) because coaches tend to rate the regular season and tournament champions from the previous year highly. (In 2008) Sac State was coming off of a season where they won both the regular season and conference tournament championship. The preseason ratings are just a guess anyways,” Northern Colorado head coach Tim Barrera said. “(Sac State is good at) finding the open player, and they do a great job at making the other team press too much when they
are trailing (against the Hornets),” Robinson said. Dedini has full confidence in his 2009 squad. “Winning this year is a matter of using the talent we have to its fullest potential, taking advantage of in-game opportunities and getting the ball to the back of the net,” Dedini said. “(We) plan on taking the season one game at a time in order to stay focused on their primary objective: winning Big Sky Conference games. Following the high expectations of last year’s number 1 rank in the Big Sky Conference made the team realize how important motivation is to ending the season on a good note,” Dedini said.
Wednesday - September 2
Sports Section
statehornet.com
B7
New season brings Defensive lineman new coaching staff racks up accolades By Jeondra Arrington jarrington@statehornet.com
Sacramento State’s men’s soccer head coach Mike Linenberger announced that goalkeeper coach Matt McDougall will be elevated to the top assistant coach after Jason Gantt stepped down to take a head coaching position at Sierra Junior College. Gantt’s decision to leave the team did not come as a surprise. He let everyone know last spring that he was looking for a head coaching position. Linenberger helped Gantt with his search and said that they always had close communication. “We are going to miss the energy he brought to the program, but we also feel, with the addition of coaches Matt (McDougall) and Greg (Curry), we are going to be able to fill that void,” Linenberger said. The Hornets will also miss Gantt’s dedication.
J. P. Ryan State Hornet
Recently promoted to assistant coach, Matt McDougall hopes to be a role model.
“His motivational skills and technological skills with breaking down such things as game film will be missed,” Linenberger said Gantt had been an assistant for four years for the Hornets. “He is ready to become a head coach,” Linenberger said. The team is moving forward with McDougall who worked as a volunteer assistant for four years along with coaching Sac State’s goaltenders. McDougall has good ties with alumni and is well known throughout the community. McDougall is an expert at goalkeeping. McDougall feels he understands Sac State’s athletic procedures, which has helped him transition smoothly into the assistant coaching position. Linenberger knows McDougall well after he played on the Hornets soccer team for five years. McDougall’s time as a volunteer, and the fact that Linenberger thinks McDougall is an excellent recruiter. Linenberger also feels McDougall’s previous coaching positions make him the man for the job. His previous coaching jobs include running the summer soccer clinics on campus. McDougall took over full control of the clinics once Gantt left for Sierra. He was also the goalkeeper coach for the San Juan Soccer Club’s 8- to 18-year-olds team, where he was responsible for preparing young players for soccer at the collegiate level. He has a lot of experience in educating players. “I understand the importance of mentoring student-athletes to achieve scholastic success along with their athletic accomplishments. Players look to coaches for leadership and guidance,” McDougall said He also understands the physicality of Division I soccer,
since he played on the Hornets’ soccer team before becoming the goalkeeper coach. “Being a player has helped me understand the ins and outs of the game. I know what it takes to play at the Division I level.,” he said. McDougall was a captain his last three years on the soccer team. Sac State won the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation League championship in 2001 while he was playing. This was the first title for men’s soccer at the Division I level. “The biggest adjustment so far has been more responsibility. I have been in charge of working in the recruitment office, checking out prospects for other teams, managing and mentoring players on and off the field. I also spent the summer going to various tournaments in the area in search of students with academic prowess as well as athletic skill,” McDougall said. “These are the type of players I hope to bring to the soccer program,” McDougall said. Linenberger does not feel McDougall’s promotion should have any major changes to the recruitment process or the program’s tradition. With the staff change finalized, the team is preparing for the upcoming season. “The players are familiar with McDougall from his years of being involved with the team,” Linenberger said. “The main difference is that McDougall was a goalkeeper, accustomed to seeing the game from the end of the field, while Gantt played on the defensive line,” he said. “In other ways my coaching style is similar to Gantt’s considering I learned the ropes from him when I was a volunteer assistant years ago,” McDougall said.
By Britney Rossman brossman@statehornet.com
On Aug. 21, Sacramento State defensive tackle Christian Clark was named Preseason AllAmerican Honorable Mention for his outstanding performance last season. Clark has represented Sac State for two seasons. Clark started all 12 games for Sac State last season, and he hopes to make his presence felt again in the 2009 season. In 2008, he recorded five sacks, 42 tackles - nine of which were for a loss of yardage. And that was only Clark’s sophomore season. He was more than surprised when he found out that he had been named honorable mention as a preseason All-American. Clark learned of the honorable mention from a fan. “I was at a scrimmage and a fan came up to me and said congratulations. I was so surprised that I had to ask them what they were congratulating me for. A little time after that, one of my coaches told me what the fan was talking about and what I was being honored for,” Clark said. These types of awards and accolades are becoming second nature to Clark. He has also been named to the preseason All-Big Sky team. Clark and the rest of the Sac State Hornets will head to Las Vegas to take on UNLV on Saturday. Sac State will need a stellar performance from Clark in order to assure a victory over the rebels. Head coach Marshall Sperbeck is excited about what his defense brings to the table this season, especially Clark. “The defensive line will have all its starters back for this season. Christian (Clark) is ready
to have an outstanding season,” Sperbeck said. Junior defensive lineman Marque Willis feels the defense walks with a swagger, thanks in part to Clark’s play. “On the (defensive line) it is all about attitude. We do not have to change much as far as our defensive schemes go because the talent on this team can fill the shoes of those who have graduated,” Willis said. Clark was humbled by the recognition. “The award motivates me to continue to do a good job on the defensive line,” Clark said. He looks forward to the Adalto Nascimento State Hornet upcoming season to prove on the field that all the preseason hype is warranted. Junior Christian Clark was “The award really surprised named a 2009 preseason Allme, but excited me at the same American honorable mention. time. It let me know that there are people outside of Sac State which I played last season,” that take notice of what I am Clark said. doing, and respect the way in
B8
Wednesday - September 2
Sports Section
Football: Hornets to begin working on 2009 schedule the field. “We already know our technique (on defense), and on the (defensive line) it is all about attitude. We do not have to change much as far as our offensive and defensive schemes go because the talent on this team can fill the shoes of those who have graduated,” Willis said. Willis is confident that his team will be successful no matter how difficult its schedule may look on paper. He is looking forward to the challenge of beating the Aggies again at the end of the regular season on Nov. 21. “As competitors, we want to win all of our games, but I can’t wait for the Causeway Classic. There’s something about those rivalry games that bring out the best in everyone,” he said. Not only are the players ready, but Sperbeck has high expectations, too. The two seem to go hand-in-hand. He believes that the talent for this season is capable of having an outstanding season.
“The guys are excited for the chance to step up and show their talent. The defensive line will have all its starters back for this season,” Sperbeck said. Sperbeck pointed out a few players to watch for when the season begins. “The guys have showed real good competition between the offense and defense. For the defense, a few standout players would be (linebacker) Kevin Moore, (defensive backs) Deionte Gordon and Durrell Oliver. An offensive player to watch for would be (running back) Sam McCowan,” he said. McCowan is going to need to step up as the leader of the backfield. Running back Bryan Hilliard is out for the season after having shoulder surgery on both shoulders. Quarterback Jason Smith is ready to lead the offense. Smith says his sprained ankle has healed well and he is expected to be completely healthy going into the season. Preseason All-Big Sky team
winner and preseason AllAmerican Honorable Mention Christian Clark looks to be the anchor of the defense. The Hornets kickoff their season with some stiff competition on Saturday, when they take on UNLV. The Hornets do not have their first home game until Sept. 26. when they play Eastern Washington. October will be a deciding factor in how well Sac State does in 2009. They must travel to Portland State and Weber State, which is no easy task. Montana travels to Sac State on Oct. 24. They finish the season with the Causeway Classic. Sperbeck noted, whenever the two rivals meet, the intensity of both sides is extremely high. Sperbeck knows the schedule is difficult. “We start with UNLV, and then head to Cal Poly the following week. The competition will be very high,” he said. “To finish off the season with the Causeway Classic shows the intensity of our schedule” Sperbeck said.
Nallelie Vega State Hornet
Members of the 2009 Sac State football team practice their offensive strategy in preparation for the upcoming season. The Hornets first game of the season is Saturday at UNLV. The team hopes to start with a win on the road.
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